Snow-cleaning apparatus



Jain. 21, 1930. w.- G. BRIGGS snow CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 19 28- Inventor Jan. 21, 1930. w. G. BRIGGS I 1,744,066

SNOW CLEANING APPARATUS 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1928 4 Shgets-fiheet 2 Inventor Attorngy Jan. 21, 1930. w, G, RIGGS 1,744,066

SNOW CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7i Inventor W. G. BRIGGS SNOW CLEANING APPARATUS Jan. 21, 1930.

Filed Oct. 20. 1928 4 Sheets- Sheet 4v Attorney Patented Jan. 1930 I G. BRIGGS, D1 STRA'I'TON,:INEBKASKA snow-cranium arrana'rus Apfplication filed October 80, 1928. Serial N'o. 313,810.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning snow off of tracks, roadways and the like and has for its prime object to provide an endless bucket mechanism for lifting the snow from the trackway,-r.oad-

way or the like and elevating-the same into a trough conveyor so that thesnow may be piled up along the trackway, roadway or thelike.v x A 10 Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a machine of this nature which is adjustable so that the digging depth of the endless bucket conveyor may be varied. r 16 A Still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a machine of this nature which is comparatively. simple in its construction, strong and durable, thoroughly eflicient and reliable in use and operation, and'otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides. in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. a I 1 v In the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a top-plan view thereo'f,

Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof,

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section of the front lower-portion of the machine showing the fender removed, e Figure 6' is a perspective" view of another embodiment of the wheel support,

' Figure 7 is an enlarged" detail section taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a detail view of the'upper end i i of one of the shifting rods, I

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the .1ine9'-9 of Figure 5,

Figure 10 is aldetail view 'of the adjusting means for one of the frames. 7 1

Referring to the drawing in detail it will rack 23. A beveled gear 28 is mounted at the lower end of the shaft 26 and meshes with a beveled gear 29 rotatable on ashaft 30 mountbe' seen that the numeral 5 denotes a truck body-mounted on wheel supports 6 for riding on tracks or wheel supports 7 for riding on roadways.

The numeral 8 denotes a prime mover mounted on the front' of a body 5. Brackets 10 projecting forwardly from the forward end of the body 5 have rockably engaged therewith arms 11 with arcuate racks 12 on their rear ends meshing with worms '14 journaled in brackets 15 on the sides of the body '5 and @perable by hand cranks 16.

A frame A 's rockably mounted as at 17 be tween the forward extremities of the arms 11. A frame B is rockably mounted at its lower end as at 19 to the sides of the body 5 to the rear of the center thereof. The frames A and B are pivoted together adjacent their upper ends as at 20. Frames A and B each include a pair of side bars. Eachside bar is formed in a pair of sections 21 and 22.

The section 21 has a rack 23-fiked thereto. Straps 24 are fixed to the section 22 and extend about the section 21 so that the sections 21 and 22 may slide in respect to each other. Brackets 25 on the section 21 rotatably support a shaft 26 which is provided with a worm 27 at the upper end meshing with the ed on the section 22 by suitable means 31.

Thus. it will be seen that by turning the :gears 29 which have handles 32 thereon sections 21 may be slid ont he sections 22 for changing the length f the frames A and B.

Shafts 34 (are journaled across the ends of the frame A and have sprockets 35 thereon' over which are trained chains 36. Buckets 37 are mounted across the chains.

Th lower shaft 34 has a beveled gear 38 t ereon which meshes with a beveled pinion 39 on shaft section 40 which is journaled in a bracket 41 on the side of the lower end of the frame A. A shaft section 42'has a slid- 95 ing fit'in -the shaft 40 to rotate therewith .as is clearly illustrated in Figure 9 and is held in different adjusted positions in respect thereto by set screws 43. a

The upper extremity of the shaft section 2 be'vel gear46 operatively connected with a prime mover 8. A fender 47 .is disposed over the gearing just described which connects the lower shaft 34 with the prime mover 8: The upper endof this fender isprovided with a slot 48 for receiving a pin 49 projecting from a bracket arm 50 on one side of the body 5 while the lower' end of the fender is mounted on the extremity of the lower shaft 34 which projects therethrough.

The pin and slot connection 49, 48 compensates for adjustment which may be. made when the cranks 16 are operated A trough 50 is mounted transversely of the machine to receive snow from the bucket as they ass. over the top of the frame A. This troug is supported on'a ledge 51 transversely disposed of the frame B below pivotal connection 20 and by rods 52 which are secured to the lower intermediate portions of the bar sections 21 of the frame B, cross each other and terminate at their upper ends in eyes 53 for slidably receiving a bar 54 on the rear side of the trough. I

Thus the trough is free to slide transversely of the machine a limited distance. The sliding movement is accomplished by levers 55 pivotally mounted as at 56 on the frame B and having. pin and'slot connections 57 with the front side of the trough 50.

The upper shaft 34 has beveled gears 58 i at its ends. Shafts 59 are journaled inthe end portions of. the trough 50 and have sprockets fixed thereon over which are trained endless chains 61 with an endless belt 62 ex tending therebetween. The forward ends of the shaft 59 have beveled gears 63 thereon meshing with beveled-gears 64 on shafts 65 journaled in. brackets 66 on the forward side of the trough 50. I

Beveled gears 67 are provided at the upper ends ofthe shafts 65 and these gears 67 may be brought into mesh with gears 58 by sliding the trough. 50 from right to left and may be disengaged therewith by sliding the trough from left to right. This sliding movement of the trough, of course, is accomplished by the levers 55.

A chute 7 O is hin edly engaged as at 71 on the left hand side of the trough 50. A bridle I 7 2 is engaged with an intermediate portion of the chute and has a cable 73 attached thereto and trained over a pulley 74 in a bracket 75 depending from the center of a bracket 76 which is'attached to the upper end of the frame B and inclines upwardly and rear- 'wardly therefrom to terminate approximately over the center of the chute 70. The

cable 73 is trained over a pulley structure 78 on the trough 50 and may be tied as as 79 or in any other suitable "manner to the lower portion of the frame B. Y

Before starting out the operator of this machine should first loosen the set screws 43 and then manipulate the cranks 16 so that the buckets 37 will dig and scrape into the snow at the' desired depth. In this connection it will be noted that when the arms 11 are swung by the worm 14 and worm gear segment 12 the frame A rocks on the pivot 17, the frames A and B rock in respect .to each other on pivots 20 and the frame B rocks on the pivots 19.

When the desiredadjustment has been made the set screws 43 will be tightened. This one adjustment should be suflicient for an entire trip. Now as. the machine progresses along and the prime mover 8 is in operation it will be seen that'the buckets move downwardly to the rear of the frame A and upwardly forwardly of said frame A so as to dump the snow picked up therein into'the trough 50.

' as will be quite apparent.

Should it be desired to dump the snow to the right hand side of the machine the hinge connection 71 is made at;the opposite end of the trough 50 and the chute is shifted so as to engage the other sides so that the beveled gears 67 engage the other sides of the beveled gears 58, the latter bevel gears being of the double type. In making this shift of the chute 70, the same will have to be moved rearwardly so that the gears 67 clear the gears 58 before being brought into mesh with the other sides thereof. f

The rods 52 will give sufliciently for this purpose. Obviously the frame B may' be lengthened so as to maintain the frame A at the desired angle as the angle of the frame A willbe changed whenever adjustment is made at the worm 14 and worm gear segment 12. The frame A may be lengthened to tighten the chains 36 whenever this becomes necessary. I,

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof. In addition to the practical advantages hereinbefore set 'forth,.my novel machine is obviously simple, strong and durable, and thoroughly eflicient and reliable in operation. I v c I have entered into a detail description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart. a full, clear and exactunderstanding of said embodiment. I do not desire,

1 however, to be understood as confining myself practice of the invention various changes and modifications may be made such as fall within the scope of my invention as defined in my appended claims. L

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is: i

1. In combination, a truck, arms rockably mounted on the forward end of the truck, means for rocking the arms, a frame pivotally engaged between the arms, endless conveyor means on the frame, a second frame pivotally mounted on the truck and pivotally engaged with the first frame, said frames being formed in sections, and means for sliding the see tions in relation to each other for lengthening and shortening the frames.

2. In combination, a truck, arms rockably mounted on the forward end of the truck, means for rocking the arms, a frame pivotally engaged between the arms, endless conveyor means on the frame, a second frame pivotally mounted on the truck and pivotally engaged with the first frame, said frames being formed in sections, and means for sliding the sections in relation to each other for lengthening and shortening the frames, a ledge across the second frame, a trough transversely disposed to rest on the ledge, rods rising from the second frame, a slidable connection between the rods and the trough, an endless conveyor in the trough.

1 3. In combination, a truck, arms rockably mounted on the forward end of the truck, means for rocking the arms, a frame pivotally engaged between the arms, endless conveyor means on the frame, a secondframe pivotally mounted on the truck and pivotally engaged with the first frame, said frames being formed in sections, and means for sliding the sections in relation to each other for lengthening and shortening the frames, a ledge across the second frame, a trough transversely disposed to rest on the ledge, rods rising from (the second frame. a slidable connection between the rods and the trough, an endless conveyor in the trough, means for operating .the endless conveyor of the first frame and means operatively connecting the endless conveyor of the firstframe with the endless conveyor of the trough.

conveyor of the first frame and means operatively connecting the endless conveyor of the first frame with the endless conveyor of the trough, said last mentioned means including beveled gears operatively connected with the endles conveyor of the first frame and beveled gears operatively connected with the trough, and means for sliding the trough to mesh and unmesh said beveled gears.

5. In combination, a truck, arms rockably mounted on the forward end of the truck, means for rocking the arms, a frame pivotally engaged between the arms, endless conveyor means on the frame, a second frame pivotally mounted on the truck and pivot'ally engaged with the first frame, said frames being formed 1n sections, and means for shdmg the sections in relation to each other for lengthening and shortening the frames, a ledge across the second frame, a trough transversely disposed to rest on the ledge, rods rising from the second frame, a slidable connection between the rods and the trough, an endless conveyor in the trough, means for operating the endless conveyor of the first frame'and means operatively connecting the endless conveyor of the first frame with the endless conveyor of the trough, said last mentioned means including beveled gears operatively connected with the endless conveyor of the first frame and beveled gears operatively connected with the trough, and means for sliding the trough to mesh and unmesh said beveled gears, a

chute pivotally mounted on one end of the 4:. In combination, a truck, arms rockably mounted on the forward end of the truck,

means for rocking the arms, a frame pivotally engaged between the arms, endless conveyor means on theframe, a second'frame pivotally mounted on the truckand pivotally engaged with the first frame, said frames being formed in sections, and means for sliding the sections in relation to each other for lengthening and shortening the frames, a ledge across the sec- 7 ond frame; a trough transversely disposed to the trough, means for operating the endless 

